Knoxville for tourists?

[Aavoxx]

Pizza - DTGB is pretty good for food. Beats Tomato Head any day for "specialty" pizzas but, if you like classic pizza and organic ingredients, Tomato Head is obviously the place to go in Knoxville. DTGB has good, albeit very weak, beer.

Food - Knoxville is not a great dining city. Everyone has their favorite hole-in-the-wall or "local" eatery, but there's little that is truly impressive. Cafe 4, 31 Bistro and Oodles Uncorked are the best downtown options, while driving up Kingston Pike will lead you to the likes of Echo, Chez Liberty and Seasons if you really want to make a drive. There's a great restaurant called Cru which will have opened up a new location on Gay Street by the time you get here, and it's probably the best casually refined dining in the city.

Bars - The Strip really begins to suck the moment you're actually of legal drinking age. If you're a mature 20-something or older, you'll hate it. Conversely, if you dislike club atmospheres, you'll hate everything in the Old City that's not Urban, Barley's or Pilot Light. You'd probably enjoy Crown & Goose (though it closes really early) but, other than that, you'll find yourself on the 400 block of Gay Street or Market Square unless you venture out into West Knoxville.

Safety - Downtown Knoxville is safe (yes, even the Old City); the Fort Sanders area directly adjacent to the UT Campus and Cumberland Avenue is not. There are some cool bars to go on Magnolia and Broadway, but I would advise against pressing your luck and walking to them from downtown.

Hotels - Knoxville hotels are sort of strange. It's cheaper to stay near the more predominately residential areas of town, but you'll have to pay for parking and such then and it's way more of a pain in the ass than staying downtown. Our Marriott hotel is absolute garbage, and the downtown Hilton is pretty antiquated too. The Oliver is streets ahead of every other hotel in Knoxville but, if you'd like to spend a little less and still stay downtown, the Hampton Inn seems nice and the Holiday Inn is undergoing massive renovations and will be a surprisingly decent option.

Also, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge don't deserve to be on your itinerary, let alone part of this country. Avoid at all costs.

I'm not sure I agree with any of this.

 

[Aavoxx]

You know Monica Lewinsky?

BFFs

 

[YorkVol]

Stephen,
Agree with others that say use Knoxville as your launch pad for visits to other places. First, Knoxville is an absolute blast on game weekends and you need to take advantage of every bit of it. Get a hotel close to the campus, do a tailgate with some of your VolNation friends, do the Vol Walk, Pride of the Southland Band etc. After the game, go to the strip and enjoy the fun--it can be every bit as crazy as some of the shenanigans after a good soccer match.

Then explore the area. You have Atlanta within 4 hours and Nashville 3 hours, both offer lots of fun. You have the Appalachian Trail and the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. You could do Bristol Motor Speedway to get the race day experience. There is also a lot of historical sites including Civil War Battlefields in Chattanooga, Chickamagua, Stone Mountain etc and replica villages in the mountains. Finally, don't forget Gatlinburg and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge.

You can have a lot of fun in the area.

 

[orangesparkles]

I'm not sure I agree with any of this.

What exactly do you disagree with? The Strip is clearly aimed at a younger crowd, the Old City is a club scene, Knoxville doesn't have a lot of outstanding restaurants...

 

[Aavoxx]

Pizza - DTGB is pretty good for food. Beats Tomato Head any day for "specialty" pizzas but, if you like classic pizza and organic ingredients, Tomato Head is obviously the place to go in Knoxville. DTGB has good, albeit very weak, beer.

The beer at DTGB is very good, however it is not weak.

Food - Knoxville is not a great dining city. Everyone has their favorite hole-in-the-wall or "local" eatery, but there's little that is truly impressive. Cafe 4, 31 Bistro and Oodles Uncorked are the best downtown options, while driving up Kingston Pike will lead you to the likes of Echo, Chez Liberty and Seasons if you really want to make a drive. There's a great restaurant called Cru which will have opened up a new location on Gay Street by the time you get here, and it's probably the best casually refined dining in the city.

We have a ton of places you didn't list that have excellent food.

Bars - The Strip really begins to suck the moment you're actually of legal drinking age. If you're a mature 20-something or older, you'll hate it. Conversely, if you dislike club atmospheres, you'll hate everything in the Old City that's not Urban, Barley's or Pilot Light. You'd probably enjoy Crown & Goose (though it closes really early) but, other than that, you'll find yourself on the 400 block of Gay Street or Market Square unless you venture out into West Knoxville.

I believe the OP is in his early 20s, so he might enjoy it. I would also say The Strip is enjoyable for all ages during football Saturday's. Copper Cellar is excellent after games.

Safety - Downtown Knoxville is safe (yes, even the Old City); the Fort Sanders area directly adjacent to the UT Campus and Cumberland Avenue is not. There are some cool bars to go on Magnolia and Broadway, but I would advise against pressing your luck and walking to them from downtown.

There is nothing cool on Magnolia or Broadway for the most part.

Hotels - Knoxville hotels are sort of strange. It's cheaper to stay near the more predominately residential areas of town, but you'll have to pay for parking and such then and it's way more of a pain in the ass than staying downtown. Our Marriott hotel is absolute garbage, and the downtown Hilton is pretty antiquated too. The Oliver is streets ahead of every other hotel in Knoxville but, if you'd like to spend a little less and still stay downtown, the Hampton Inn seems nice and the Holiday Inn is undergoing massive renovations and will be a surprisingly decent option.

I'm not giving this one the research a solid answer deserves, so I guess I'll give you a pass on this one.

Also, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge don't deserve to be on your itinerary, let alone part of this country. Avoid at all costs.

Mountains are beautiful. I do understand the tourist trap aspect however.

What exactly do you disagree with? The Strip is clearly aimed at a younger crowd, the Old City is a club scene, Knoxville doesn't have a lot of outstanding restaurants...

I think that sums it up.

 

[YorkVol]

Young guy traveling to the U.S. needs to get the whole package, tourist traps included.

 

[orangesparkles]

The beer at DTGB is very good, however it is not weak.

When your strongest beer is under 6.2% ABV, you're not exactly a titan compared to the high gravity beer bar across the street.

We have a ton of places you didn't list that have excellent food.

A lot of tiny places, perhaps. Those can be very subjective in terms of excellence and appeal largely to certain tastes. Knoxville is extremely limited when it comes to "destination" dining experiences found in many other cities. Any foodie would roll their eyes at the thought of Knoxville being a great dining city.

I believe the OP is in his early 20s, so he might enjoy it. I would also say The Strip is enjoyable for all ages during football Saturday's. Copper Cellar is excellent after games.

If he's in his early 20s, great. And I completely agree that Copper Cellar is great after football games. However, older patrons of The Strip really shouldn't be frequenting Tin Roof and Hanna's.

There is nothing cool on Magnolia or Broadway for the most part.

http://www.knoxpublichouse.com/, The Mill at Saw Works Brewing Company | Saw Works Brewing Company and Central Flats & Taps | BEER. LIQUOR. FOOD. are just some of the bars on or adjacent to Magnolia and Broadway in less-desirable areas that are fantastic. Plenty more do not have websites.

Mountains are beautiful. I do understand the tourist trap aspect however.

I guess there's something to be said for a quick trip through the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area... but it's not going to be anything you'll actually enjoy. The mountains, though, are another story.

 

[Thrasher865]

When your strongest beer is under 6.2% ABV, you're not exactly a titan compared to the high gravity beer bar across the street.

What is the bar across the street? I'll have to try it sometime.

 

[Nerd-Vol]

What is the bar across the street? I'll have to try it sometime.

You know the downtown spirits? It's right next door.

I sat out there on a Saturday with Samus and enjoyed beer. It was pretty dead.



I still prefer the brewery, because I really like the brewery's food and beer.

 

[Thrasher865]

I don't know much about downtown. I either go to market square for an event, or I go to DGB, oodles, Nama or the movie theater.

 

[Nerd-Vol]

I don't know much about downtown. I either go to market square for an event, or I go to DGB, oodles, Nama or the movie theater.

Weird. You live within spitting distance!?!?

 

[Thrasher865]

Just not much to do there. Also, I don't go places by myself usually.

 

[Nerd-Vol]

Just not much to do there. Also, I don't go places by myself usually.

So you just sit in your home, alone?


Sounds pretty lame.

 

[Thrasher865]

Better than sitting awkwardly on a patio by yourself, IMO. Overpaying for meals and beer.

 

[orangesparkles]

Suttree's has an extraordinarily limited food menu and doesn't hold a candle to the Brewery in that regard. It also seems to go from one extreme to another, either having four patrons total or being the loudest little beer bar imaginable.

 

[Nerd-Vol]

Better than sitting awkwardly on a patio by yourself, IMO. Overpaying for meals and beer.

Wasn't awkward for me. I love people watching, or sitting down and reading a magazine. I am much like my mother in that way.